Looking after Newborn skin

The phrase as soft as a baby’s bum makes a lot more sense than sleeps like a baby (unless you are referring to someone who wakes up hungry every hour. Newborn skin is so soft and delicate and our aim as parents is to keep it that way. There are so many products advertised as looking after a baby’s skin, but we think that less is more.

The best starting point is cloth nappies. Rather than putting chemicals next to your baby’s skin from birth, breathable natural fabrics like bamboo and cotton with reusable nappies. Our TeenyFit nappies are suitable from as small as 5lb and have an absorbent bamboo core. They are the kindest nappies for a baby’s skin and they look pretty adorable too!

Baby wipes are affordable and readily available, but even cheaper is water and a reusable wipe or cotton wool. Water is all your babies skin needs to keep it clean in the early days and it helps them preserve the natural balance too. We know that often baby wipes are the easy option but just using water when you are at home will help to keep their skin silky soft.

If your baby is in cloth nappies and being changed regularly and you are only using water to clean their bottom, then nappy rash is unlikely, but it can still occur. Be careful what cream you use as some will interfere with how well the nappy absorbs if they are oil based (you can use a nappy liner to combat this). Breastmilk can be a great antibacterial to use on a sore bum and something like CJ’s butter and Harry and Rose nappy spray are cloth bum friendly.

Newborn babies don’t need to be bathed as much as an adult. Other than their nappy area, they aren’t really able to get dirty and washing them too much can strip the natural oils from their skin. Try bathing them in just water for the first few weeks or using a mild natural soap if they need it.

Some of the softest clothing you can find for newborn’s is made of organic cotton. The natural fibres will be breathable against their skin and you can feel safe in the knowledge there will be no chemicals hidden in the fabric from production. Some of our favourite cloth nappy friendly organic brands include Frugi, Little Green Radicals and Kite Clothing (their clothing is made of organic cotton and their swimwear from recycled plastic bottles).

There is nothing softer than precious newborn skin and our cloth nappies are designed to help keep it that way for as long as possible!